Posted on 11/10/2004 12:01:01 AM PST by Mama_Bear
THE REAL HEROES OF IWO JIMA
With the increased media attention on the Marines’ history concerning the Chosin Reservoir Action in Korea 50 years ago this month, I thought this article was most appropriate. After all if we don’t teach children history of our nation, who will? It seems to me that most schools do not have that on their list of priorities. Also, anyone who has visited the Marine Memorial in Washington DC will have a greater appreciation for this story, by a Wisconsinite, which I relay unedited:
Each year I am hired to go to Washington DC with the eighth-grade class from Clinton, WI, where I grew up, to videotape their trip. I greatly enjoy visiting our nation’s capital, and each year I take some special memories back with me. This fall’s trip was especially memorable. On the last night of our trip we stopped at the Iwo Jima memorial. This memorial, which is the largest bronze statue in the world, depicts one of the most famous photographs in history - that of the six brave soldiers raising the American Flag at the top of a rocky hill on the island of Iwo Jima during WWII.
Over 100 students and chaperons piled off the buses and headed towards the memorial. I noticed a solitary figure at the base of the statue, and as I got closer he asked, “Where are you guys from?” I told him that we were from Wisconsin. “Hey, I’m a cheesehead too!” he said. “Come gather around, Cheeseheads, and I will tell you a story.” That figure turned out to be James Bradley, who just happened to be in Washington DC to speak at the memorial the following day.
Bradley was there that night to say good night to his dad, who has since passed away. He was just about to leave when he saw the buses pull up. I videotaped him as he spoke to us, and received his permission to share what he said from my videotape. Now, it is one thing to tour the incredible monuments filled with history in Washington DC. But it is quite another to get the kind of insight we received that night.
When all had gathered around he reverently began to speak. Here are his words that night.
My name is James Bradley and I’m from Antigo, Wisconsin. My dad is on that statue and I just wrote a book called “Flags of Our Fathers,” which is #5 on the New York Times Best seller list right now. It is the story of the six boys you see behind me. Six boys raised the flag. The first guy putting the pole in the ground is Harlon Block. Harlon was an allstate football player. He enlisted in the Marine Corps with all the senior members of his football team. They were off to play another type of game—a game called “War,“ But, it didn’t turn out to be a game.
Harlon, at the age of 21, died with his intestines in his hands. I don’t say that to gross you out; I say that because there are generals who stand in front of this statue and talk about the glory of war. You guys need to know that most of the boys in Iwo Jima were 17, 18, and 19 years old.
(He pointed to the statue.) You see this next guy? That’s Rene Gagnon, from New Hampshire. If you took Rene’s helmet off at the moment this photo was taken, and looked in the webbing of that helmet, you would find a photograph—a photograph of his girlfriend. Rene put that in there for protection, because he was scared. He was 18 years old. Boys won the battle of Iwo Jima. Boys. Not old men.
The next guy here, the third guy in this tableau, was Sergeant Mike Strank. Mike is my hero. He was the hero of all these guys. They called him the “old man” because he was “so old.” He was already 24. When Mike would motivate his boys in training camp, he didn’t say, “Let’s go kill some Japanese” or “Let’s die for our country.” He knew he was talking to little boys. Instead he would say, “You do what I say, and I’ll get you home to your mothers.
The last guy on this side of the statue is Ira Hayes, a Pima Indian from Arizona. Ira Hayes walked off Iwo Jima. He went into the White House with my dad. President Truman told him, “You’re a hero.” He told reporters, “How can I feel like a hero when 250 of my buddies hit the island with me and only 27 of us walked off alive?” So, you take your class at school, 250 of you spending a year together having fun, doing everything together. Then all 250 of you hit the beach, but only 27 of your classmates walk off alive. That was Ira Hayes. He had images of horror in his mind.
Ira Hayes died dead drunk, face down at the age of 32, ten years after this picture was taken.
The next guy going around the statue is Franklin Sousley, from Hilltop, Kentucky. A fun-lovin’ hillbilly boy. His best friend, who is now 70, told me, “Yeah you know, we took two cows up on the porch of the Hilltop General Store. Then we strung wire across the stairs so the cows couldn’t get down. Then we fed them Epson salts. Those cows pooped all night.” Yes, he was a fun-lovin’ hillbilly boy. Franklin died on Iwo Jima at the age of 19. When the telegram came to tell his mother that he was dead, it went to the Hilltop General Store. A barefoot boy ran that telegram up to his mother’s farm. The neighbors could hear her scream all night and into the morning. The neighbors lived a quarter of a mile away.
The next guy, as we continue to go around the statue, is my dad, John Bradley from Antigo, Wisconsin, where I was raised. My dad lived until 1994, but he would never give interviews. When Walter Kronkite’s producers or the New York Times would call, we were trained as little kids to say, “No, I’m sorry sir, my dad’s not here. He is in Canada fishing. No, there is no phone there, sir. No, we don’t know when he is coming back.” My dad never fished or even went to Canada. Usually he was sitting there right at the table eating his Campbell’s soup. But we had to tell the press that he was out fishing. He didn’t want to talk to the press. You see, my dad didn’t see himself as a hero. Everyone thinks these guys are heroes, ‘cause they are in a photo and a monument. My dad knew better. He was a medic. John Bradley from Wisconsin was a caregiver. in Iwo Jima. He probably held over 200 boys as they died. And, when boys died in Iwo Jima, they writhed and screamed in pain.
When I was a little boy, my third grade teacher told me that my dad was a hero. When I went home and told my dad that, he looked at me and said, “I want you always to remember that the heroes of Iwo Jima are the guys who did not come back. DID NOT COME BACK.”
So that’s the story about six nice young boys. Three died on Iwo Jima, and three came back as national heroes.
Overall, 7000 boys died on Iwo Jima in the worst battle in the history of the Marine Corps. My voice is giving out, so I will end here. Thank you for your time.
Suddenly the monument wasn’t just a big old piece of metal with a flag sticking out of the top. It came to life before our eyes with the heartfelt words of a son who did indeed have a father who was a hero. Maybe not a hero for the reasons most people would believe, but a hero nonetheless.
Reprinted from “Follow Me” official publication of the Second Marine Division Association.
USMC Stamps Approved
Finally, USMC 'Distinguished Marines' Stamps Get the USPS
Stamp Of Approval
It will make many Marines happy.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) announced the 2005 U.S. stamp program at the August American Philatelic Society Stamp show in Sacramento, Calif. Key to the 2005 program for all Marines is the long-awaited debut of a Distinguished Marines block of stamps, which will be
unveiled in the fall of 2004 and issued sometime in 2005. No image of the stamps will be available until the unveiling.
According to Mark Saunders of the media relations section of the USPS, the Distinguished Marines stamps will honor four Marine icons: General John A. Lejeune, Lieutenant General Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller, Sergeant Major Dan Daly and Gunnery Sergeant John "Manila John" Basilone.
Saunders also confirmed that these commemorative stamps will be printed only once and will be available for one year after being issued. This announcement has been long-awaited. Multiple Marine organizations and individuals have repeatedly requested a series of stamps honoring Marines and military personnel of the other branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. This Distinguished Marines set is a follow-on to the 2000 Distinguished Soldiers series of four stamps. Persistence is rewarded.
Semper Fi, and happy birthday to me. :D
The Marines Hymn
From the Halls of Montezuma
To the shores of Tripoli
We fight our country's battles
On the land as on the sea.
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
Of United States Marines.
Our flag's unfurled to every breeze
From dawn to setting sun;
We have fought in every clime and place
Where we could take a gun.
In the snow of far-off Northern lands
And in sunny tropic scenes;
You will find us always on the job --
The United States Marines.
Here's health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve;
In many a strife we've fought for life
And never lost our nerve.
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven's scenes,
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines.
I Will NOT Forget!
I sat in a movie theater watching "Schindler's List," asked myself, "Why didn't the Jews fight back?"
Now I know why.
I sat in a movie theater, watching "Pearl Harbor and asked myself, "Why weren't we prepared?"
Now I know why.
Civilized people cannot fathom, much less predict, the actions of evil people.
On September 11, dozens of capable airplane passengers allowed themselves to be overpowered by a handful of poorly armed terrorists because they did not comprehend the depth of hatred that motivated their captors.
On September 11, thousands of innocent people were murdered because too many Americans naively reject the reality that some nations are dedicated to the dominance of others. Many political pundits, pacifists and media personnel want us to forget the carnage. They say we must focus on the bravery of the rescuers and ignore the cowardice of the killers.
They implore us to understand the motivation of the perpetrators. Major television stations have announced they will assist the healing process by not replaying devastating footage of the planes crashing into the Twin Towers.
I will not be manipulated.
I will not pretend to understand.
I will not forget.
I will not forget the liberal media who abused freedom of the press to kick our country when it was vulnerable and hurting.
I will not forget that CBS anchor Dan Rather preceded President Bush's address to the nation with the snide remark, "No matter how you feel about him, he is still our president."
I will not forget that ABC TV anchor Peter Jennings questioned President Bush's motives for not returning immediately to Washington, DC and commented, "We're all pretty skeptical and cynical about Washington."
And, I will not forget that ABC's Mark Halperin warned if reporters weren't informed of every little detail of this war, they aren't "likely - nor should they be expected-to show deference."
I will not isolate myself from my fellow Americans by pretending an attack on the USS Cole in Yemen was not an attack on the United States of America.
I will not forget the Clinton administration equipped Islamic terrorists and their supporters with the world's most sophisticated telecommunications equipment and encryption technology, thereby compromising America's ability to trace terrorist radio, cell phone, land lines, faxes and modem communications.
I will not be appeased with pointless, quick retaliatory strikes like those perfected by the previous administration.
I will not be comforted by "feel-good, do nothing" regulations like the silly "Have your bags been under your control?" question at the airport.
I will not be influenced by so called,"antiwar demonstrators" who exploit the right of expression to chant anti-American obscenities.
I will not forget the moral victory handed the North Vietnamese by American war protesters who reviled and spat upon the returning soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines.
I will not be softened by the wishful thinking of pacifists who chose reassurance over reality.
I will embrace the wise words of Prime Minister Tony Blair who told Labor Party conference, "They have no moral inhibition on the slaughter of the innocent. If they could have murdered not 7,000 but 70,000, does anyone doubt they would have done so and rejoiced in it?
There is no compromise possible with such people, no meeting of minds, no point of understanding with such terror. Just a choice: defeat it or be defeated by it. And defeat it we must!"
I will force myself to:
* hear the weeping
* feel the helplessness
* imagine the terror
* sense the panic
* smell the burning flesh
* experience the loss
* remember the hatred.
I sat in a movie theater, watching "Private Ryan" and asked myself, "Where did they find the courage?"
Now I know.
We have no choice. Living without liberty is not living.
MGySgt. Ed Evans USMC (Ret.)
Not as lean,
Not as mean,
But still a Marine.
Semper Fi,
CLASSIC MILITARY WARNINGS
"Aim towards the Enemy."
Instruction printed on U.S. Army Rocket Launcher
"When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend." U.S.M.C. Training Bulletin
"Cluster bombing from B-52s is very, very accurate. The bombs are guaranteed to always hit the ground." U.S.A.F. literature
"If the enemy is in range, so are you."
Infantrymans Journal
"A slipping trigger gear could let your M203 grenade launcher fire when you least expect it. That would make you quite unpopular in what's left of your unit." - Armys Magazine of Preventive Maintenance.
Morrett Commended by Commandant
Submitted by Howard Frost
Dress blues were uniform of the day and the San Bernardino CA. Elks Lodge the setting when SMDA Master Sergeant Wesley Morrett USMC (Ret) received a Certificate of Commendation forwarded from Marine Corps Commandant General M.W. Hagee.
The Commendation presentation on April 4, 2004 highlighted the 7th Annual Birthday celebration of Semper Fi # I, an organization founded by Morrett.
Semper Fi #1 is a group of veteran Marines who conduct funeral services for fellow Marines at Riverside, CA. National Cemetery. Traditional unifonns, of course, consist of dress blues.
During its first seven years the group perfonned 866 services, while contribut ing 12,369 volunteer hours.
The Memorial Honor Detail was Morrett's idea after he attended a Marine funeral service at Riverside National for which there was no military honor guard. Disturbed at the lack of deserved recogni tion for a fellow Marine, he inserted an ad in an area newspaper, calling for "a few good Marines." He received 14 responses and created a nucleus of seven older Marines to establish Semper Fi # I.
The original cadre of seven Marines and a high school student volunteer bugler (in an ROTC Marine uniform) had grown by April 4, 2004 to 46 members, including two buglers and two bagpipers.
An ll-1/2 minute video will be avail able nationwide to recruit volunteer mem bers for similar units at the 121 National Cemeteries across the country. That will coincide with a Congressional bill (HR 247) when it eventually goes into effect to honor all veterans.
Morrett's contributions honoring deceased veterans were highlighted October II, 200 I, when Semper Fi # I was recognized by the House of Representatives.
MSGT Wes Morrett retired November 30, 1970, after compiling 20 1/2 years of active duty stretching from his first enlistment in June, 1942. Part of original enlistment was spent in the Second Marine Division, during which he combat on Guadalcanal and Tarawa member of E-2-1 O.
Later in WW II he spent considerable time in Oak Knoll (CA) and Bethesda I) Naval Hospitals with severe malaria attacks before returning to duty at Great Lakes Marine Barracks and Mare Island Marine Barracks. He left the Corps at the of 1945 but, after a career with more and Ohio Railroad, returned in
1953.
By the time Morrett finished his second hitch (plus re-ups) he had served in two more Marine Divisions (I st and 3rd), among numerous other assignments.
I walked through a county courthouse square,
On a park bench an old man was sitting there.
I said, "Your old courthouse is kinda rundown,"
He said, "Naw, it'll do for our little town."
I said, "Your flagpole has leaned a bit,
And that's a Ragged Old Flag you got hanging on it."
*
He said, "Have a seat", and I sat down.
"Is this the first time you've been to our little town?"
I said, "I think it is." He said, "I don't like to brag,
But we're kinda proud of that Ragged Old Flag."
*
"You see, we got a little hole in that flag there
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
And it got powder-burned the night Francis Scott Key
Sat watching it writing 'Oh Say Can You See'.
And it got a bad rip in New Orleans
With Packingham and Jackson tuggin' at its seams."
*
"And it almost fell at the Alamo
Beside the Texas flag, but she waved on through.
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on that Ragged Old Flag."
*
"On Flanders Field in World War I
She got a big hole from a Bertha Gun.
She turned blood red in World War II
She hung limp and low by the time it was through.
She was in Korea and Vietnam.
She went where she was sent by her Uncle Sam."
*
"She waved from our ships upon the briny foam,
And now they've about quit waving her here back home.
In her own good land she's been abused...
She's been burned, dishonored, denied and refused."
*
"And the government for which she stands
is scandalized throughout the land.
And she's getting threadbare and wearing thin,
But she's in good shape for the shape she's in.
'Cause she's been through the fire before
and I believe she can take a whole lot more."
*
"So we raise her up every morning,
Take her down every night.
We don't let her touch the ground
And we fold her up right.
On second thought I DO like to brag,
Cause I'm mighty proud of that Ragged Old Flag."
This is from "Follow Me May-June 2004
Offical Publication of the Second Marine Division Association ** http://www.2marine.com
Put Your Affairs In Order-NOW
The Last Detail
by Neil Duane
It's Better To Make Arrangements While You Can While You're Still Alive!
In the National Cemeteries, there Is also room or your wife In the same grave, whether or not she precedes you In death, and her name will ) join yours on the marker.
I'm sure that all of us who served in the Second Marine Division are eternally grateful that we weren't killed before our 18th or 19th birthday, as many of our broth ers were on Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian, in Beirut and even now in Iraq. I know I am. In fact, many of us are probably surprised that we lasted this long.
But time is running out for all of us, espe cially you WWII guys, and for me as well. Although I'm much younger (63), I just got the word that I only have a few months left . (fast moving cancer). Although not the best news I could have hoped for, it has given me valuable time to ''put my affairs in order." I urge you to do the same. NOW
Your passing is going to be hard on your wives and families (believe me on this), so making the funeral arrangements now, while you have the time, is going to be difficult for them. But, it will be a blessing when the big day arrives. Since I've just been through this with my wife Patty, and our daughters, I thought you would find the following informa tion useful and start acting on it.
Both the funeral director and the pastor of our church, who have presided over many funerals, told us how extremely rare it was to have people come in to make the arrangements before the death, and how difficult it was for the families to han dle these details in their time of grief. So, I know I'm not preaching to the choir here. Typical question: does your wife know where your honorable discharge certificate' is? Does she even know what a DD214 form is?
Burial in a National Cemetery
You, too, can be buried in a National Cemetery, with accoutrements galore-including your wife.
First of all, you're entitled to free burial in a national cemetery, providing you have an Honorable Discharge. (I chose Bourne National Cemetery on Cape Cod in my home state of Massachusetts). See
http://www.cem.va.gov/listcem.htm for locations, or call your local veteran's agent or funeral home. For you dinosaurs who still don't use computers, get one of the grandkids to bring it up for you or
call1-800-827-1000.
In addition to the gravesite, you rate a flag for the coffin, an engraved headstone or marker, and a concrete grave liner. In private cemeteries these costs can add up. (Arlington National Cemetery, because of space concerns, is now limited to active duty deaths, highly decorated combat veterans (Medal of Honor or Navy Cross), POWs, etc. but a Purple Heart will get you in. There are other stipulations as well. Check web site http://www.arlingtoncemetery.com/eligib.html if you really want to go this route, or call 703-607-8000.
There is no fee for opening and closing the grave at a national cemetery as there is now at many private cemeteries, I was informed by my friendly undertaker, so you can save the family some serious money here as well. You do have to provide your own coffin or cremation urn.
IF YOU WANT TO BE BURIED AT SEA
If you want to, you can even be buried at sea from a Navy vessel, but there are additional rules and regs for this. For instance they're not going to send a guided missile cruiser a hundred miles out just to slip you over the side. You have to wait on the Navy's convenience for a vessel to be deployed. Of course, your family won't be able to attend. But they do have the service on deck that many of you probably witnessed after an invasion, and the longitude and latitude of your burial coordinates, as well as the flag, will be sent to your family by the commanding officer of the vessel. If interested, call the U.S. Navy Mortuary Affairs office toll-tree at 1-888-647-6676 and select option 4.
In the cemeteries, there is also room for your wife in the same grave, whether or not she precedes you in death, and her name will join yours on the marker, as shown in the photos on page I. HQ Marine Corps has also mandated that all former Marines are due a military funeral detail, even if it only consists of three Marines in full dress blues, usually local reservists, i.e., one to play taps and two to fold the flag for presentation to your wife or next of kin. I did arrange such a detail for a friend's father who fought on Okinawa from D-Day to the end, and was discharged, like many Marine combat veterans of WWII, as a
PFC. The flag folding was performed by two reserve master sergeants from the 23rd Marines in full dress blues, who were absolutely superb to my expert eye. I can comment on this since, when I left the Division, I was assigned to Eighth and I participated in many of these burial details at Arlington. Made me proud to be a Marine. But don't expect the firing detail and caisson unless you are being buried at Arlington with full honors.
Making the Rounds
Your first stop is the funeral director, followed by a visit to the presiding clergy to discuss the ceremony, eulogies, music, flag handling, etc. In my experience some churches are a bit more restrictive than others on the number of people who would like to eulogize you, for example. Arrange a visit with your wife and let the undertaker know that you're doing some pre-planning. He'll ask about hymns to be sung, music, pallbearers, and costs. The funeral director will also ask you to decide on what you want to wear to your funeral.
No way I was fitting into my blues, so I opted for a dark gray civilian suit For the lapel, Patty thought the 2nd Marine Division pin would be appropriate, so that's what it will be. They are going to hang my dress blue blouse with stripes, hash marks and medals back with the flowers, so you might want to consider that as well. The blouse is going to my grandson. I've already given my dog tags complete with c-ration can opener to my son.
If you're missing uniform parts, as I was, or you would like to be buried in uniform, you can order everything, full dress blues, or greens, including replacement medals, or ribbons and shooting badges from the base exchange (the PX) at Quantico over the phone. Call 703-640-8800. Prices are very reasonable and service is excellent Even though no longer regulation, you can have the Division patch sewn onto the blouse sleeve, like you wore during the war. It will cost about three bucks at the local tailor/dry cleaning shop.
Picking the Casket
You can also pick out a casket at this time.
I was in the market for a basic military steel container, but these were not available, I was told. We were taken to a showroom displaying the various models. My first reaction was to stifle a laugh. These things actually come with names like 'The Vintage" or 'The Malibu." They can range as high as $10,000 for polished cherry wood. I told Patty that if she liked the cherry she should put the cash into some new kitchen cabinets. They did have a nice knotty pine model for under a grand, which I liked, but Patty thought it looked like a shipping crate, which it did. I told her we could paint it green, stencil USMC on the side and maybe add a ''This Side Up" arrow, but she failed to see the humor. They do offer a very nice fully embroidered Marine Corps Seal that fits neatly into the open lid of the casket, which I liked very much, and it wasn't too expensive.
At the wake, a folded flag will also be displayed on, or in, the coffin or in a triangular glass case alongside at no additional cost during viewing/visiting hours. All in all, the funeral services will set you back about $6000 - $8000, depending upon options.
Make Sure You Have A DD-214
The funeral director will quote you all the costs involved, and make arrangements for the flag, Marine escort and the grave marker. You'll need a copy of your honorable discharge and a copy of your DD214 form, if you have one. You'll be given a form to fill out for the grave marker inscription. If you don't do this, it will be left to your surviving family. Basically you get an engraved"emblem of faith" (Christian Cross, Star of David, etc.) name, rank, branch of service (for us, USMC or U.S. Marine Corps), date of birth and date of death. You can then have a personal inscription. One I saw on a Marine Master Gunnery Sergeant's marker was "WWII, Korea, Vietnam" (perfect attendance, as we used to say). Under this was "His Wife," followed by her name and dates of birth and death.
Visit the Cemetery
Depending upon the cemetery, you'll have an upright marker like those at Arlington, or a marble or bronze marker set into the ground. (Makes it easier to mow the grass. ) Your family can leave flowers at any time. I saw many bouquets when I visited the Bourne site.
I highly recommend a visit to the cemetery you choose, by the way. Your actual gravesite is simply the next one in line, so you could have an Army paratrooper on one side and a Navy boson’s mate on the other. Not Marines, but pretty good company. Also, the burial may not be performed on the day of the funeral, again depending upon the cemetery.
At Bourne, my final service will be performed at a small chapel, family members will have a chance to say a few last words, and the clergy will perform the commitment ceremony. The flag will be presented to Patty, and everyone will then leave for home. Except for me, of course. I'll be reporting for guard duty, just in case the Army and the Navy ever look on Heaven's scenes. Just like it says in the Hymn.
Get moving while you still can. Give me a call or send me an e-mail if you found this useful or have anything to add. 781-871-2950 or bosdoc@ao1.com.
- HELPFUL WEBSlTES
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/ http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/funeral_information/index.html
(Arlington National Cemetery)
http://www.mdw.army.mil/fs-a03.htm (eligibility)
http://www.cem.va.gov/listcem.htm (national cemeteries)
Neil has pased on to be with the Lord.
Thanks to Mr. Mayor for emailing him the last time I posted this.
Dub
Sgt. USMC
Thank you for your service! Happy Birthday!
Ahhhhh.......coffee! Thanks (((((((((Gail))))))))).
THE TITLE
It cannot be inherited
Nor can it be ever be Purchased
No one can buy it at any price
It is impossible to Rent
You alone and our own
Have earned it
With OUR sweat, blood and lives
You own it forever
The Title
UNITED STATES MARINE
Thanks for a wonderful tribute to the Marines.
This is a beautiful thread.
A keeper for sure.
Your friend
DUB
WWII Ship Lands at Camp Lejeune
July-August 2004
After traveling more than 3,000 miles and spending more than 30 days at sea, a WWII-era landing ship medium (the Marine Corps Museum of the Carolinas' newest artifact, is now safely moored at its temporary mooring in Mile Hammock Bay aboard Camp Lejeune. The LSM-45, 203 feet long and 35 feet wide, was pushed by tug boat from Freedom Park (outside Omaha, NE), 'In the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers to New Orleans, and then around the Florida Keys to Charleston, SC, where SgtMaj. Joe Houle and volunteers dressed the ship for the final leg of its journey to North Carolina. The ship was donated by the Amphibious Ship Museum, which paid the cost of the voyage.
The LSM-45, commissioned in 1944, carried a complement of 54 enlisted and 4 officers. She participated in the Okinawa campaign in 1945, shuttling equipment, supplies, and ammunition to shore. She was decommissioned in 1947 and sold to the Greek Navy. In 1998 the Amphibious Ship Museum purchased the M-45, refurbished it, and moved it to Freedom Park. Now, she has come full circle and is back home with the Marines and Navy, waiting to move into her permanent home with the planned (but unbuilt) museum. Like any ship, however, she will need constant upkeep. So when you come to Camp Lejeune the next time bring your paint chipper and brush.
The world is watching us—do they see Jesus?
I love this question, and the answer even better........after this last election, I believe that the world that was watching sure did see Jesus, all across America! :-)
That's a very nice Marine graphic! Mind if I save it?
Little info on the uniform:
Scarlet Trouser stripe (Blood Stripe)
It is said that the right to wear these stripes was
conferred on the Corps during the Mexican War, after
the Battle of Chapultepec, in honor of Marines killed
or wounded during the action, and the blood they shed.
An enlisted Marine does not obtain the "blood stripe" until
he reaches the rank of Corporal.
Mameluke sword
The mameluke sword, also known as the "officers sword"
began its association with the Marine Corps in the early
19th century. Tradition states that in recognition of
Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon’s heroic actions in the Tripoli
expedition, Prince Hamet Bey presented him with
a Mameluke sword.
NCO sword
The Marine NCO's are the only NCO's in any branch of
service who still have the privilege of carrying swords.
The sword is the personification of military tradition
and has been entrusted to those most responsible for
maintaining it. This sword is still in use, however, it has been
limited by regulations to be used only "when in charge of
troops on ceremonial occasions."
"Leatherneck" This has been a long standing nickname for Marines.
It goes back to the leather stock or neckpiece, which was part
of the Marine Corps uniform from 1775 to 1875. The leather collar
was intended to ensure that Marines kept their heads erect.
However, legend says it was worn as a sort of neck armor
to protect the jugular vein from saber slashes. Today, the
leather stock is commemerated in the dress blues,
dress whites and evening dress uniforms to regulate stance,
posture and thus proclaiming the wearer as a modern
"Leatherneck."
Semper fi.
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